This invention relates to entry door enhancements, and more particularly to an improvement in the strike plate for enhancing strength of latching of the door and thwarting unauthorized forced opening of the door from the exterior side. In combination with the new strike plate, the invention provides door reinforcement functioning in combination with the improved strike plate for further thwarting unauthorized forced opening of the door from the exterior side.
Many proposals have been advanced for the improvement of entry doors as barriers to unauthorized entry. Insofar as is known, however, the approaches of the past have concentrated on such severe modification of conventional entry door structures as to make them impractical for use except in new construction. The teaching of this invention is easily implemented in existing structures and has the additional benefit of not interfering with the general attractiveness of the conventional appearance for entry door structures.
The invention is not designed to thwart entry by those who would resort to bulldozing techniques. Those who attempt unauthorized entry for burglary or any other purpose generally shun from bulldozing techniques in favor of techniques which leave little apparent evidence of unauthorized entry, such as the technique of using a screwdriver or similar implement as a wedge at the spring biased latch member of the entry door while simultaneously applying pressure on the entry door. The teachings of this invention are particularly effective to thwart such manner of unauthorized entry, and it is believed that such manner of unauthorized entry has an unfortunate degree of popularity.